Ezekiel 47:3

Eze 47:3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters [were] to the ankles.

Ver. 3. And when the man that had the line in his hand.] The man Christ Jesus, the sole architect of his Church, and measurer of his gospel; and that by his gospel, which is the line in his hand, nec solum recta, sed et regula, not only by riht but also by rule.

He measured a thousand cubits.] It was not for nothing that Plato said, O Yεος αιει γαωμετρει, God is always measuring the world.

The waters were to the ankles.] Grace is but a small thing at first; no more is the gospel. {Mat 13:31-33} The Church were at first but a very few, {Act 1:15} that is, one hundred and twenty, of all the great multitudes which had formerly followed Jesus: Sed vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum. It was more for the loaves than any great love that the most followed him.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 47:3. And when the man that had the line — The angel, described with a line in his hand, Eze 40:3; went forth eastward — Went on directly from the east gate; he measured — By the line in his hand; a thousand cubits — Almost the third part of an English mile; and he brought me through the waters — To try the depth of them. And the waters were to the ankles — “The gradual rise of the waters denotes the large effusion of the Spirit, (which was very remarkable at the first publication of the gospel,) and its wonderful increase from small beginnings; as well as most probably some future and large effusion thereof to be poured out upon the Jews and Gentiles, in order to their conversion. And the latter part of the representation, as Mr. Scott observes, may relate to the times when the gospel shall fill the earth, and produce most extensive and important good effects on the state of mankind in every nation. Thus the river here signifies the same as the stone, (Dan 2:34; Dan 2:45,) cut out without hands, becoming a great mountain, and filling the whole earth; and the same as the little leaven (which is Christ’s illustration of the subject) leavening the whole three measures of meal into which it was cast; or as the grain of mustard-seed becoming a large plant, like a tree, in which the fowls of the air might make their nests. The emblem may also be applied to illustrate the growth of grace, knowledge, and holiness, in true Christians, who, instead of resting in past attainments, forgetting those things which are behind, reach forth unto those which are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Of such the religion may be fitly compared to the morning light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

47:3-5 At first, the stream was a mere trickle coming out from the gate of the Temple, but as it flowed out it became deeper and deeper until it was too deep to walk through. The exiles needed to be reminded that God often works from small beginnings that miraculously blossom into full flower.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. - 5. He measured a thousand cubits, - the waters were to the ANKLES; a thousand more, - the waters were to the KNEES; a thousand more, - they became a RIVER that could not be forded. The waters were risen, and they were waters to SWIM in.

I. This may be applied to the gradual discoveries of the plan of salvation, -

1. In the patriarchal ages.

2. In the giving of the law.

3. In the ministry of John the Baptist. And,

4. In the full manifestation of Christ by the communication of the Holy Ghost.

II. This vision may be applied also to the growth of a believer in the grace and knowledge of God. There is -

1. The seed of the kingdom.

2. The blade from that seed.

3. The ear out of that blade. And,

4. The full corn in that ear.

III. It may be applied to the discoveries a penitent believer receives of the mercy of God in his salvation. He is -

1. A little child, born of God, born from above, and begins to taste the bread of life, and live on the heavenly food.

2. He grows up and increases in stature and strength, and becomes a young man.

3. He becomes matured in the Divine life, and has his spiritual senses exercised so as to become a father in Christ. In other words, the grace of God appears to come drop by drop; it is given as it can be used; it is a seed of light, and multiplies itself. The penitent at first can scarcely believe the infinite goodness of his Maker; he however ventures to follow on with the conducting angel, the minister of the Gospel, in his descriptions of the plenitude of that salvation, provided in that living Temple in which alone the well-spring of life is to be found.

4. In thus following on to know the Lord he finds a continual increase of light and life, till at last he is carried by the streams of grace to the ocean of eternal mercy; then

"Plunged in the Godhead's deepest sea,

And lost in his immensity."

IV. These waters may be considered as a type of the progress which Christianity shall make in the world.

1. There were only a few poor fishermen.

2. Afterwards many Jews.

3. Then the Gentiles of Asia Minor and Greece.

4. The continent and isles of Europe. And,

5. Now spreading through Africa, Asia, and America, at present these waters are no longer a river, but an immense sea; and the Gospel fishers are daily bringing multitudes of souls to Christ.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) Brought me through the waters.—The point from which the measurement began is not distinctly mentioned, but is to be assumed as from their source, the threshold of the house. The prophet is “brought through the waters” to impress upon him a vivid sense of their size and depth, and this is repeated at each 1,000 cubits until the waters become impassable.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. A thousand cubits from the place of emergence the waters were ankle deep.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when the man that had the line in his hand,.... The same as in Eze 40:3 and is no other than Christ, who appeared in a human form to the prophet; and who hitherto had only made use of the measuring reed in taking the dimensions of the house, and what appertained to it; but now he uses the line of flax he had in his hand, in measuring the waters as they ran; by which line is meant the Scriptures, the word of God, by which all doctrines are to be measured: this is the rule that both preachers and hearers are to go by; and, as by the direction of this person the waters flowed where he would have them, so the doctrines of the Gospel are preached by the order of Christ where he pleases; see Luk 24:47, and these move in a direct line, as those waters did; error is crooked, and has its windings and turnings; but truth is straight and even; all the words of Wisdom are right, and there is nothing froward, perverse, or crooked in them, Pro 8:8,

went forth eastward; which was the course the waters took by his direction; the Gospel was first spread in the eastern part of the world, in Asia, where many churches were planted by it; it has been since in the south, in Africa, particularly in the times of Austin, when these waters, the doctrines of grace, flowed largely; and they have been since in the north and west, in Europe, in our northern climes; all which perhaps may be signified by the right side, or south side, by which these waters flowed, and by the prophet's going to the north gate, and about, to see them; but in the latter day they will move eastward again, when the kings of the east and their kingdoms shall become Christ's; see Rev 16:12,

he measured a thousand cubits; or, "a thousand by the cubit (d)"; the Targum is,

"a thousand cubits by the cubit;''

with his line from the eastern gate of the house, at the right side of which the waters ran out; this was about half a mile:

and he brought me through the waters: not the thousand cubits he had measured; but when he came to the end of them, he made the prophet to cross the waters, to go through them across, that he might observe the depth of them:

and the waters were to the ankles; were ankle deep, a few inches: or, "to the soles"; for, as R. Jonah thinks, may be additional; and in the Syriac language, signifies a part of the hand, Dan 5:5, and, applied to the feet, designs the soles of them; and then the sense is, the waters were so shallow, that they only covered the soles of the feet: this may signify the ministry of John the Baptist, who, though greater than the prophets, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he; and of the disciples of Christ, before the effusion of the Spirit: or may design the more easy doctrines of the Gospel; those waters which Christ's lambs may wade in; that milk which new born babes desire, and are fed with; those plain truths of the word, which those of the weakest capacity are able to take in, receive, and embrace; in the knowledge of which, though fools, they err not; such as salvation by Christ alone; justification by his righteousness; peace and pardon by his blood; which are so plain, as to be understood by every truly gracious soul, though of ever so mean a capacity: or it may intimate the small spread of the Gospel at first in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.

(d) "mille in cubito", Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The ancles - This may coincide with the step gained in the baptism of Cornelius Acts 10, and the opening of the Church to the Gentiles. The dispersion which had followed the martyrdom of Stephen Act 11:19, had carried believers into various countries, and so paved the way for the foundation of Gentile Churches.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The man: this is he who accompanied the prophet as his guide all along, and of whom already hath been spoken in several notes.

The line, mentioned in Eze 40:3, but hitherto not used, for the reed and cubit hitherto were used only, at least only mentioned.

Eastward; from the gate directly east, with whom the prophet goeth.

He measured, by the line in his hand.

A thousand cubits; almost the third part of an English mile; it wanted about eighty yards of a third part.

Through the waters; went before him, as his guide, and the prophet followed; all this in vision.

To the ankles; some five or six inches deep.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Having emerged from the corner of the east outer gate in drops, the stream, which had not swollen in its passage across the outer court and under the temple wall, speedily exhibited a miraculous increase in depth, and therefore in volume. Having advanced eastward along the course of the stream an accurately measured distance of a thousand cubits (about one-third of a mile), the prophet"s guide brought, or caused him to pass, through the waters, when he found that they were to the ankles; or, were waters of the ankles, as the Chaldee, Syriac, Vulgate, Keil, Kliefoth, Ewald, and Smend translate, rather than "water of the foot-soles," as Gesenius and Havernick render, meaning," water that hitherto had only been deep enough to wet the soles." The udwr ajfesewv, or "water of vanishing," of the LXX, is based on the idea of "failing," "ceasing," "coming to an end," which appears to be the root-conception of. (see Gen_47:15, Gen_47:16; Psa_77:9; Isa_16:4)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He measured - By the line in his hand. He brought me - Went before, and the prophet followed; all this was in vision.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

measuring line

a string or a rope that people use to measure longer distances

one thousand cubits

Each long cubit was about 54 centimeters. AT: "1,000 cubits" or "about 540 meters" (See: Biblical Distance)

a river that could not be crossed

This can be translated in active form. AT: "a river that no one could cross on foot" (See: Active or Passive)

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

he measured one thousand cubits outside the wall. For those thousand cubits, the stream did not swell to the extent of being deep up to the אֳפְסָיִם; the ankles, called chevilles in Fr.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.